We aim to keep your appointment process easy and transparent. The first step is to contact us and the choices available are direct phone call (during working hours) or email (anytime).

Our contact details are located at the top right corner of our website page. You can also click the Appointment button to go to the email page to send us your request for an appointment.

Upon receiving your email, our friendly staff will contact you within 3 working days and will explain the appointment process, answer any question you may have, and organise an appointment date & time for you. Appointment can be made within two weeks, but sooner if the appointment is deemed very urgent.

For information about where we consult, click the the Contact tab above and select Location.

Having a referral letter by an independent healthcare provider is one of the Medicare rules we are required to observe if you wish to claim Medicare rebate for your medical service. Medicare has published the rules & regulations governing how you may, or otherwise, be eligible for Medicare rebates under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Book. Many private health funds also observe this rule when members are making claim for their inpatient treatment.

However, it is not a prerequisite that you must have a doctor’s referral to see our specialist. You can make an appointment, attend a consult and receive medical service, but you will not be eligible to claim Medicare rebates unless you fulfil all of the eligibility criteria.

Below are some of the examples where you do not need to fulfil this Medicare rule on having a doctor’s referral:

Unlike sports, there is no even level playing field when it comes to healthcare, and there is no one umpire / referee / judge, mainly because in healthcare, every patient is an individual with his/her unique set of quality and problems; everyone has a different expectation and personal goals; and doctors do not always get to care for the same patient in the same scenario to compare who has the best approach in resolving your problem.

So, how do we ever know how good we are? Well, we use various measures to not only keep an exceptionally high quality of care, but also always strive to be at the forefront of our profession.

First and foremost, the specialist you will see at our practice must be qualified and registered with the Medical Board of Australia and the relevant College. Dr Yap, for example, is a fellow of the Royal Australia & New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) which is a professional body that determines the qualification of doctors specialising in Women’s health, Reproduction, Pregnancy and Childbirth. Dr Yap has also attained a Master degree in Reproductive Medicine and is continuing to pursue the latest knowledge, advanced surgical skill and state-of-the-art endoscopic technology in this specialty through regularly participating in conference, workshop, research and teaching.

The second measure is the passion and enthusiasm from the team of doctors, nurses, midwives and administrative staffs who will be looking after you. Under the leadership of Dr Yap, you can relax and be comfortable that all your concerns relating to Women’s health, Fertility, Pregnancy & Childbirth will be managed under one dedicated team who will provide you an exceptional continuity of care. The more complex your problem is, the more important it is that you have this continuity of care so that you do not become confused and frustrated by different opinions & interpretations given by other healthcare professionals, especially if they do not fully understand or know your complex history.

The third measure is our independence from any third party. We are not employed or directly funded by government agencies, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, health insurance companies or any commercial organisations, nor do we have any vested financial interest in IVF labs, pathology labs, imaging companies, private hospitals or other medical clinics. Our independent practice is financially supported by our patients who have received our medical service, and this support can be in the form of patients' out-of-pocket payment, Medicare rebates and Health Fund's benefits. With this level of independence, we can focus on your clinical needs and expectation, and always have your best interest in mind. Hence, when you engage us to look after you, you can be assured of a fully private independent specialist caring for you.

The fourth measure is your experience, feedback and outcome of your care which will form the hallmark of our achievement. We regularly seek feedback from all our patients who have completed their treatment / care with us, and regularly conduct audit on our patients’ outcome. Whilst we cannot guarantee success with every problem presented to us or every treatment we provide, we surely pride ourselves for optimising your outcome to the highest expected level, which is only confined within the limits of our excellent private healthcare system. Our audit showed that

over 85% of pregnant women who planned to have a vaginal birth ended up having a vaginal birth, an achievement above the World Health Organisation's target of 70% for vaginal birth rate;

there have been no reported cases of serious birth asphyxia under our care;

the majority of couples who wished to have a baby achieved this goal without resorting to IVF;

the majority of surgeries we performed were minimally invasive type and most patients were well enough to go home within 3 days following a major surgery like hysterectomy; and

we are consistently getting good feedback remarks from our patients who would continue to motivate us to serve you better.

Lastly, we draw inspiration by those people who had encountered immeasurable tough challenges and had come up triumphant through sheer courage, patience and trust in our care. We encourage them to share their experience so that you too can draw inspiration from them - refer to our Inspirational Corner (located in the Gallery tab). It is through this intricate balance and close relationship encompassing knowledge, skills, technology and emotional support that we strive to achieve the highest quality of care for you.

Medicare rebates, at its introduction, were meant to keep health cost affordable. Medicare Australia publishes a fee schedule, known as Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS), to determine the fee for each and every services Medicare recognises for rebate purposes. In addition, Medicare Australia provides a list of criteria and rules on what made the services you received eligible for Medicare rebate. In the last decade, we have seen MBS fee schedule falling behind the inflation rate (measured in CPI), particularly since July 2014 where the Australian government suspended any increase in MBS rebates, introducing the so-called Medicare rebate freeze policy. This essentially made it more and more difficult to solely rely on the rebate to meet the actual full cost of the medical service. Moreover, Medicare Australia dictates that bulk billing services (which incur no gap fee) at out-of-hospital locations (e.g. in your doctor’s practice) can only claim 85% of the MBS fees, thereby widening the gap between the actual service cost and the Medicare rebate you received, and making it harder for doctors to keep absorbing the gap.

To sustain a medical practice relying solely on bulk-billing, the practice has to look for innovative ways to cut cost and increase turnover, and we believe that going down this path could ultimately compromise quality health care. Imagine how we can take a proper history, address all your concerns and work out a comprehensive management plan if we try to reduce consult time so that we see more patients? Imagine how we can provide excellent assessment if we invest in cheap inferior equipment as a cost-cutting measure? Imagine how we can provide a review consult combined with an in-house ultrasound imaging service when Medicare rebates (MBS no.105 & 55068 in Dec 2015) for this combined service were a total of $ 36.55. Medicare Benefit Schedule is formulated in such a way that you can, however, receive a higher rebate for ultrasound scan at $ 83.55 (MBS no.55065) if you agree to have the ultrasound scan performed externally and return on a separate occasion to discuss the result, thereby resulting you in making three separate trips instead of one.

Because we place patient care as our top priority, which means giving you the quality time you need and maintaining a high standard of care you expect, we have made a conscious decision to forego bulk-billing services in order to keep our quality and standard in a sustainable way for all to enjoy.

Having said this, we will always help you find a suitable care plan that could strike a balance between your expectation and the medical cost, and strive towards keeping private healthcare assessable and affordable even for those without private health cover.

In keeping with our principle of maintaining a transparent, competitive and fair fee structure, we will go through with you the estimated costs involved, preferably before you have any treatment done. An informed financial consent process will be undertaken during your consult and all your concerns addressed to your satisfaction. Whilst your fees are dependent on the treatment program you have elected, your actual out-of-pocket expenses (also known as gap) would be influenced by Medicare rebates, Medicare Safety Net benefits and/or Health fund benefits.

To understand and to compare medical fees, it is worth considering the following questions:

Are the treatment plan and quality of service between different specialist practices comparable?

Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) lists out the cost for each procedural item as suggested by the Australian Commonwealth government. For hospital-related treatment, Medicare rebates cover 75% of the MBS fee, while most health funds would at least top up the remaining 25% of the MBS fee. For out-of-hospital treatment, Medicare rebates cover 85% of the MBS fee, but most health funds do not cover any.

A medical gap (also called out-of-pocket expense) is the difference between your doctor's fee and the combined amount of the MBS rebate and the benefit your private health insurer will pay for a medical service. Government Medicare rebates have not kept pace with the increasing costs of delivering treatment, and since 1 July 2014, the Government has put a freeze on Medicare Rebates which may drive up your medical gap. Moreover, private health cover benefits are not the same across the industry, and hence, the amount of your medical gap may vary accordingly.

In an attempt to reduce the gap, various health funds have come up with their own set of fees for each procedural item which they termed as Gap Cover Scheme (by AHM), Medical Gap Scheme (by BUPA), Access Gap Scheme (by AHSA) etc. These schemes generally provide a benefit higher than the MBS fee. Nonetheless, each health fund sets its own rules dictating when the scheme is applicable. We would participate in those schemes when the benefits and conditions applied are deemed suitable to the level of care you required. Co-payment (term interchangeable with Known Gap) is the agreed out-of-pocket expense before we access your health fund’s Gap Cover Scheme (or equivalent) on your behalf. Success in this process could essentially reduce your overall gap payment down to the amount of your Co-payment.

Medicare Safety Net provides you with financial assistance for out-of-pocket expenses for out-of-hospital MBS services once you reach your Medicare Safety Net threshold. Your eligibility for this financial assistance will last for the rest of the calendar year. The benefit you get can range from getting 100% of MBS fee to 80% of your medical gap (up to the EMSN benefit cap). Please contact Medicare Safety Net on 132 011 or visit your local Medicare office for registration and further information.

We generally do not encourage phone consultation for various reasons. It does not allow proper medical assessment and management. Moreover, there is no Medicare rebate for such service unless you live in regional Australia and eligible for Medical TeleHealth.

This does not mean that you cannot ring us for advice. When we receive your phone enquiry, we can generally work out what you need to do and direct you to the right channel. If you are new to us or have a medical-related concern, we generally prefer that you attend a face-to-face consultation. However, if you are registered to an ongoing management program like an IVF treatment cycle or pregnancy care, the phone consult service is included as part of the management program, and we would not incur further charge for this service.

For those who live in regional Australia, you can ask your local doctor whether he/she participates in Medical TeleHealth with us. This service is supported by Medicare, provided you meet all the eligibility criteria. This initiative can save you travel time and cost in accessing our specialist service.

To know more about the cost of our phone consultation, simply call our friendly staff for more information.

After you have decided to go for a hospital-based surgical procedure, you will be asked to pay a booking fee to secure your preferred surgery date. One of the reasons is because there is only a very limited number of patients our specialist can operate on an operating session, and a timeslot will be reserved for you on that day. The more complex / advanced the surgery is, the more time is reserved for you. Moreover, we will also organise preoperative preparation and a surgical team comprising an anaesthetist, a surgical assistant and a number of theatre nurses, to be present on the day. Hence, it will require much effort to prepare for your surgery, not mentioning the timeslot reserved for you.

Your actual surgery cost can only be confirmed after completion of your surgery. Whilst every effort is made to provide you a cost estimate, we cannot accurately foresee or fully control how the surgery will transpire as there can be unexpected surgical findings which can alter the surgical outcome. For example, if there were extensive scarring / adhesions inside or abnormal lesions found, the surgery can become more complicated and would require greater surgical skills and attention. You would be explained about alternative options, and what procedure(s) you would give prior consent for, or otherwise. Medicare rebates and health-fund benefits are predetermined, and they may not necessary be adequate in covering the cost of completing the surgery up to your expectation. As such, the surgical deposit is held to cover for these unexpected events, and if they did not occur, the deposit would usually be refunded amounting to any unused portion. The amount of surgical deposit withheld does not imply a cap to your treatment cost.

We respect the importance of keeping your personal information confidential as prescribed in the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) which is in accordance to the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 (Privacy Amendment Act). In order to maintain reliable contact with you and to provide you a specialist care at/above the standard quality of care, it is important that we have access to your personal information like your contact details, date of birth, clinical history/record/data etc. This information can be provided by you, your relatives/friends or third parties like the pathology labs, imaging departments, hospitals, health providers, medical defence organisation and other relevant parties, but prior consent from you shall be obtained before we collect / use / keep / disclose / release your personal information. This information can be collected / amended / released in person, or by phone / fax / email / electronic network / mail; and is stored in our local electronic database with secure password and anti-virus software in place to prevent unauthorised access. Our staff can have access to your information as part of their work duties but all of them are subjected to our strict privacy & confidential policy as part of their employment contract. We do not store your personal information on the internet-based Cloud database or store it overseas unless they come under the Australian jurisdiction or have equivalent law protecting your privacy. Any party requesting the release of your personal information would be required to fill out a Request for Information Form which must contain your signature of approval. We may, at our discretion, contact you to verify the authenticity of this request. A fee for processing this release of information may apply to cover the administrative cost. If required by law, we may have to comply and disclose your information accordingly. Whilst every effort is made to protect your information, we cannot guarantee breach of such protection caused by others with criminal intent. Such matter shall be referred to the police for appropriate action, and you may be notified as well. You are encouraged to notify us of any complain you may have in this regard, before contacting the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

If you have any concerns relating to your women’s health, it is advisable to seek medical attention. First point of call would generally be your local family doctor who will assess your concern and consider referring to us if specialist attention is warranted.

You and your partner can expect to be treated with respect and great care. The journey of having a baby is a very personal one, and how quickly or easy you achieve this is not easy to predict. However, you can expect the following from us:

Feel assured that you will receive a great deal of attention from us, including taking a full history and having a comprehensive assessment to determine the problems you may have and the potential risks you may face.

Have an open and honest discussion of your circumstances, the suitable treatment options, and your predicted chances of having a baby.

Have a detailed recommendation / plan of what you can do to enhance your chances of having a baby, including whether you have a reasonable chance of achieving a pregnancy without IVF treatment.

Have a personalised care and regular update of your progress so that you feel informed and supported in your entire journey.

Can choose to extend our care after you have conceived so that you feel secure that the specialist who helped you conceive would also be there to deliver your baby.

We are not owned by, or are controlling, any IVF lab, and as such, have no impetus in offering you IVF treatment unless your fertility circumstances indicate for it. In fact, we pride ourselves of getting you pregnant without needing any expensive treatment because we believe that helping you save in fertility treatment means passing on the saving to your pregnancy care and future child-raising needs.

However, when the circumstances arise which warrant IVF treatment, we can offer you an IVF treatment plan which comprises fertility medication schedule, nursing support, counselling, progress monitoring with ultrasound scan, minimally invasive technique of retrieving your eggs and transferring your embryos, and storage of embryos for future transfer. We can also offer sperms retrieval procedure, pre-implantation genetic testing, intra-uterine insemination, egg freezing/storage and embryo glue. What is unique about our clinic is that you will get the same specialist from start to completion of your treatment, and this would ensure consistency and continuity of your care. If you have any query along the way, you can address your concerns directly with our specialist who knows your history and who is one monitoring your progress and making necessary adjustments if need be. And what is also unique about our service is that there is no such thing as a standard regimen but an individually customised plan based on your individual health record and social circumstances. Yes, we don’t offer a standard pre-made regimen, but a careful well-thought off regimen to suit your needs, up to your realistic expectation, limited only by the current latest technology available.

Final point of what made us unique. Once you are pregnant, you have the choice of continuing your pregnancy care with the same specialist who helps make this happen and who will continue the same philosophy of respecting your needs and guiding you through the journey of eventually delivering your baby.

Whilst most people hope / believe that IVF would work miracles (thanks to the media promotional campaign), the success of achieving a pregnancy and having a baby really boils down to three main factors:

individual fertility problems

choice of fertility treatment

quality of care by the fertility team

Hence, to provide a realistic estimation of treatment success, a thorough assessment and discussion of your fertility status is very important, not mentioning the need to give you plenty of support to manage stress. The table below gives you a guide as to what to expect of your chances of getting pregnant under our care:

When there are so many fertility clinics to choose from, why choose us? We share many good values expected of our profession, but we are unique in the sense that we are independent of the corporatisation sweeping across our fertility industry. We don’t believe that people should be lumped into stereotypic groups and be studied / treated using statistical formulas and indiscriminate treatment protocols. You are not just a number or a case, but a unique individual with your own set of history and qualities, and your own set of belief and values. Our philosophy is to respect you as a person, and bring to you our expertise in fertility care, so that we can together work out what is best for you and prepare what you need to help you fulfil your dream of having a baby. In short, we strive to care for you and always act in your best interest.

When choosing a fertility clinic, here are all the reasons why you would feel we are your best choice:

We are a highly qualified team, headed by a specialist who is registered with and recognised by the Medical Board of Australia, a local medical graduate, and a holder of the Master degree in Reproductive Medicine.

We are trained and qualified to provide a full range of fertility care and not limiting to IVF treatment or otherwise.

We do not have ownership / shareholding in any IVF clinic / laboratory, nor are we employed by any IVF clinic. As such, we are totally independent of the IVF industry and can advise and act in your best interest always.

We are affiliated to City Fertility which is an Australia-wide fertility organisation providing fertility laboratory expertise and nursing support following our fertility management plan which is devised between you and us.

We look at pregnancy outcome on an individual basis, not distorting our performance index by denying fertility care to people of certain age group or risk factors, or promoting IVF cycles to people who could have conceived without IVF if only they were given the right advice and fertility management. In other words, we do not just look at pregnancy rate per IVF cycle, but rather, we strive for achieving the best pregnancy and live-birth rates per individual seeking fertility care.

Our care does not stop at getting you pregnant. We extend the continuity of care by the same specialist who will see you getting pregnant anddelivering your baby safe & sound.

We have devised a simple to follow path to getting you pregnant and delivering your baby. The flowchart below gives you an overview on how we effectively help you achieve your goal. To look at a typical IVF treatment path, go to the FAQs for Fertility. For pregnancy care, go to the FAQs for Pregnancy & Childbirth.

As every individual / couple has a unique set of fertility issues, there should be an individually-tailored management plan. Hence, a detailed description of your IVF treatment plan is not possible unless you have a thorough assessment and discussion of your fertility care. Nonetheless, below is a typical IVF treatment flowchart to illustrate how most people would experience when they go for an IVF treatment. Unlike other corporate-style fertility clinics, our fertility specialist is not employed by (or has shareholding in) the IVF company, and this mutual collaboration enables us to devise an IVF treatment plan with your best interest in mind. Moreover, we endeavour to provide you the same fertility specialist who will look after you through the entire management until you achieve your goal of getting pregnant and having a baby. And that is the exceptional care you can expect and what we promise to deliver.

Whilst Medicare and private health fund cover a substantial portion of your IVF treatment, most people still pay a gap ranging from ~$ 1,500 for frozen-thawed embryo cycle to over $ 2,200 for an IVF cycle. The table below illustrates which aspects of an IVF cycle are and are not covered by Medicare, the amount of rebate you would receive from Medicare and Medicare Safety Net, and the corresponding gap payment. The list of options given is not exhaustive.

In summary, during your cycle treatment, the followings are all covered substantially by Medicare:

Medication to support the embryo implantation and growth in the womb (e.g. progesterone or hCG supplement).

Our specialist will help you work out the most appropriate treatment plan for you after extensive discussion of each option available. For those who only want Medicare-covered items, they will miss out on blastocyst culture, embryo testing and embryo storage which are options that can enhance your overall pregnancy rate. Embryo storage in particular could help you save cost from having multiple IVF cycles which are about three times more expensive than a frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycle. In other words, the more embryos you stored, the higher your cumulative pregnancy rate, and the more cost-effective your fertility treatment would be.

You can expect a pregnancy care which is attentive, supportive and respectful as we strive to let you enjoy every part of your pregnancy and aim to deliver your baby in style.

You are encouraged to discuss your needs and expectations as we help you prepare your ideal birth plan. Below are our answers to some of the common questions you may have:

Do you work alone or in a partnership?

We work independently in a professional team comprising obstetrician, midwives, anaesthetist, paediatrician, pathologist, radiologist to name a few. Dr Yap will organise his team of professionals for you and will commit to attend to your birth. We are not in a group practice whereby other obstetrician in the group could be rostered in to attend to your birth.

What type of training have your had? What is your philosophy on birth?

Our credentials and mission are described in the About Us section. Dr Yap is a medically qualified specialist who can offer a holistic pregnancy care involving antenatal consult, ultrasound monitoring and delivery for all pregnant women. Our overaching philosophy is to deliver your baby in a safe and respectful manner.

Are you planning any holidays? What happens if you are unavailable at the time of birth?

This will be answered when you attend our clinic as it would be updated from time to time. Dr Yap will discuss with you the plan on who to contact when he is away. Another obstetrician will provide cover and will attend to your birth. We will endeavour to keep this event to a minimum.

How can I reach you if I need advice?

Once you enrol in our Pregnancy Care Program, you will be given Dr Yap's contact number to be used for emergency purposes. You can contact us for general advice or make an appointment to see Dr Yap if you wish to have a more indepth discussion. Depending on your condition, Dr Yap would organise appropriate tests in a timely manner.

How do you normally manage labour? Do you routinely do any procedures? Can I give birth standing, squatting or other positions? How do you feel about other support people present at the birth?

If vaginal birth is your choice, your labour would be managed in accordance to your birth plan following discussion with Dr Yap. Being respectful means we do not impose a strict management protocol, but rather a birth plan which is deemed safe and suitable to your needs. Procedure will only be offered if the clinical circumstances warrant it and usually after discussing the rationale with you. We do not have a set of routine procedures, other than working towards a safe and pleasant delivery for you. You may bring in your support people so long as it respects the hospital rules on visitors.

Below is a list of services we can include in your holistic pregnancy care.

As part of your pregnancy care, you will go through an individually-customised schedule involving regular antenatal visits, screening blood tests and ultrasound scans. For routine antenatal consult, we offer a complimentary ultrasound scan to screen for any unforeseen problems like abnormal foetal position and well-being, which will give you a piece of mind, not mentioning the excitement of seeing your baby in action. Click here to view a video clip of an antenatal ultrasound scan.

Aside from the obvious out-of-pocket cost difference, private pregnancy care is largely influenced by your chosen obstetrician while public pregnancy care is determined by state health policy. Both models have their pros and cons, and the table below gives you some insight into the differences between the two. You may choose to have your entire pregnancy care under private or public, or have a combination of private antenatal care and public delivery. Private health funds generally do not cover outpatient antenatal services. Medicare covers both outpatient and inpatient clinical services but not hospital admission & facilities which are covered by private health funds or state health department (limited to public hospitals only) or yourself (if you do not have Medicare or private health cover). We can help you choose the most suitable models once we understand your circumstances and needs better.

When it comes to comparing the pregnancy outcome and the various pregnancy-related risks and complication, it is debatable as to which model is better or worse. Biological challenges remain similar as neither model directly contributes to these problems. When it comes to preventing and managing these risks, both models have to satisfy the minimum standard of care as determined by the medical regulatory body, but either model may provide different style of approaching and handling the problems which may not necessary suit everyone. You are encouraged to visit the hospitals and doctors from both models and make a judgement yourself as to which model meets your individual needs better.

Certainly you can. We understand that having a baby is a very important part of your life and will work towards meeting your goal of having a memorable birth. Our motto is delivering your baby in style...with plenty of support of course.

Below is the flowchart to guide you through your pregnancy care. Our specialist will go through this with you in detail during your consult and will assist in helping you formulate a birth plan that is safe and suitable for your needs.

Traditionally, there is only one birth method, and that is spontaneous vaginal birth. These days, the advent of modern obstetric care allows women to choose different ways of having a baby, but essentially there are only two main routes to choose from, i.e. vaginal birth and caesarean delivery. For those wishing to have a vaginal birth, they can consider different plans like spontaneous labour, induction of labour (IOL), and the option of having epidural analgesia.

Although you may have heard of home birth and water birth, we do not offer these choices for obvious reasons, that is the difficulty in managing unpredictable yet serious complications like haemorrhage, birth obstruction, foetal distress and maternal pre-eclampsia which could happen in any labour and vaginal birth, even in supposedly healthy and fit women.

Whilst we respect women’s wish to have their ideal birth plan, we will spend the time to discuss and reason out how a safe and comfortable birth could be achieved, and will clarify things which we deemed as inappropriate and risky to you and your baby.

Below is a comparison table giving you a quick glance of what the three main options we offer entail:

Historically, a patient is booked in with her chosen private obstetrician at 20 weeks pregnancy and beyond. In recent times, we recognise women's need to engage an obstetrician earlier in the pregnancy given the unpredictable adverse event which could occur in any pregnancy, events like bleeding, pain, abnormal screening tests etc. Henceforth, we have taken the initiatives to offer pregnant women a choice to enrol into our Pregnancy Care Program as early as 13 weeks, which marked their transition into the second trimester of pregnancy.

Service fee for this program is also known as the Pregnancy Planning & Management Fee (or PPMF). Once enrolled into our Pregnancy Care Program, your preferred obstetrician will provide ongoing planning and management throughout your entire pregnancy including antenatal education, birth plan preparation, hospital booking, after hour phone advice and call-outs. Our obstetrician can only look after a limited number of pregnant women in any given month to ensure the expected deliveries are given proper attention and care. Once the booking is full for that period, we cannot accept more women because our priority is to maintain a high quality of care and not about breaking record numbers of deliveries.

Our Pregnancy Care Program is aimed to give you a piece of mind that you will get specialist attention should something happen during your pregnancy. Imagine the scenario when you have an unexpected pain or bleeding episode, or become worried after not feeling any foetal movement for a while, and all you wish is a quick check with your specialist, having this service in place will give you some piece of mind that your specialist can attend to your need promptly. If the situation is deemed serious, your specialist can give you important advice on what to do and whether you should be admitted to a hospital. Admission to a private hospital can be organised if required.

It is pertinent to note that both Medicare and your private health fund do not specifically cover on-call service or over-the-phone consult, nor the cost, effort and responsibility needed to organise treatment outside the clinic or the hospital admission. Unlike other professionals, a busy obstetrician may not be bothered to keep tab with the variable phone consult and paperwork, and take the trouble to tally your bill for this kind of ancillary work. Hence, the PPMF which is a once-off payment per pregnancy, is setup to cover this kind of professional commitment which is an essential part of your good pregnancy care, especially when adverse events can be unpredictable and life-threatening. Without offering this service, a pregnant woman who encounters a health-related problem would have to make an appointment to see a local doctor, or seek medical attention at an Emergency department.

As caring for pregnant women requires high level of commitment and responsibility from the obstetrician, not mentioning the high medicolegal indemnity cost associated with the obstetric profession, the PPMF was apparently introduced to cater for the high expectation placed upon obstetricians. PPMF used to be well rebated by Medicare when Medicare Safety net (MSN) scheme was introduced in 2004, but the Rudd Government in January 2010, imposed a cap on this benefit, which currently (in 2015) limits your maximal claim at $ 543.55. This cap is still in place despite the rising cost of running a private practice which could result in higher medical gaps or downgrading of service quality, while consumers are faced with rising health fund premium, government levies & taxes, and overall cost of living. Should this cap one day be lifted, the gap payment for this PPMF (at $2300) could drop to less than $ 400.

While you can pay to enrol into our Pregnancy Care Program after 13 weeks pregnancy, Medicare rebate for this service fee is only claimable at 20 weeks pregnancy or beyond. Once successfully claimed, this PPMF can count towards your MSN account and once you reach your MSN threshold, you can start claiming additional benefits under the MSN scheme.

PPMF does not cover the cost of any clinical consult, inpatient attendance / treatment or delivery by your obstetrician as these services are covered under separate Medicare item numbers. You will be provided our fee schedule to help keep your cost under control, and most importantly, fair and transparent based on your individual needs.

Your chosen obstetrician should be the one who will be seeing you on your regular antenatal visits and attending to your birth. The importance of continuity of care cannot be over-emphasized. You should be given the assurance that your birthing is managed by professional who knows you well and respect your wish as unique individual.

At Yap Specialist, we are committed to have your chosen obstetrician delivering your baby. Our track record in the past two years showed that all births were attended by Dr Yap, the obstetrician of choice, and this demonstrates our strong commitment to attending to your pregnancy and birth as per the intended plan.

Because the timing of labour, childbirth and pregnancy-related complications can be unpredictable, your obstetrician should be on-call at all times. In addition, your chosen maternity hospital can provide over-the-phone advice and notify your obstetrician should any emergency event occur. Once you have enrolled in our Pregnancy Care Program, you can contact Dr Yap directly when you need to get his immediate attention. Other obstetrician would provide cover if Dr Yap is away.

Your childbirth should ideally follow the birth plan which you and your obstetrician have discussed and agreed to. Whichever birth plan you are going for, it should be safe, feasible and respectful to your needs.

If you are wishing to have a vaginal birth, you can consider either spontaneous labour or labour induction at term, and effective pain management like epidural. On the day of labour, you will be taken to the labour ward where a midwife will be assigned to be with you at all times, so that appropriate support and monitoring of the labour progress and your baby’s wellbeing can be provided. Your obstetrician will review your labour progress at intervals and attend to your birth. Additional professionals like anaesthetist, paediatrician and surgical assistant may be called in if the need arises. You are encouraged to bring in your support person(s) like your partner / spouse, close relatives or friends. You can also eat and drink during labour, preferably the easily digestible and energy-rich type; make yourself comfortable in any position including sitting up or walking about; and bring in your favourite songs / videos / books to keep yourself entertained. Camera / video is usually allowed.

It is worth noting that your planned vaginal birth can end up being an emergency caesarean section, but we endeavour to keep this complication rate low by providing you good preparation and support, and by only calling for an emergency caesarean section if clinically warranted. Our track record showed that our emergency caesarean section rate fell well below the rate reported by the private maternity hospitals, without any reported perinatal asphyxia case.

If you are wishing to have planned caesarean section, a suitable date and time can be arranged. You will be advised to do the following:

Go to the hospital at least one hour before your caesarean section is due to start; and

May bring in one support person of your choice to accompany you into the operating theatre.

On arrival to the hospital, you will be received by the theatre receptionist or nurse, and will be greeted by our whole surgical team including your obstetrician, the anaesthetist, the paediatrician, the surgical assistant and nurses.

Whichever birth option you choose, you can look forward to a memorable and rewarding childbirth as we strive to deliver your baby in style.

Any of the following symptoms during pregnancy would be deemed urgent:

Severe headache especially with associated visual disturbance

Severe abdominal / pelvic pain

Recurrent vomiting

Severe diarrhoea

Absent foetal movement for > 2 hours

Vaginal bleeding especially heavy loss with associated pain

Watery vaginal loss suspicious of water broke

Severe depression / anxiety disorder

Exposure to potentially hazardous material

In general, whenever you feel unwell or become worried about your pregnancy, you should seek medical attention. If you think the problem is non-urgent, raise your concern with us during your routine antenatal visit. If the matter is urgent, you can consider contacting us, your local doctor or go to the nearest emergency department. If you have registered yourself to a maternity hospital, you can also contact the labour ward midwife for a phone advice. You can also try contacting the pregnancy, birth & baby helpline on 1800 882 436.

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Disclaimer

This Information Section is intended to provide general information and advice to the general public as well as those who have attended our clinic. The information should never be relied upon as a substitute for proper assessment with respect to the particular circumstances of each case and the needs of each individual.

The information has been prepared / edited by a medical specialist, having regard to general circumstances and reference to current evidence and research available at the time of its preparation. Effort will be made to keep the information provided up-to-date.

It is the responsibility of each reader to have regard to the particular circumstances of each case, and the application of this information in each case. Individual patients should consult their doctor about their health circumstances and the relevance of the information provided.

Whilst we endeavours to ensure that information provided is accurate and current, we take no responsibility for matters arising from changed circumstances or information or material that may have become available after the date of publication.

Useful links are provided for your convenience in gathering more relevant information, and the content published in these websites are not reviewed by us and not necessary endorsed by us. We therefore make no express or implied warranties, as to the suitability for a particular purpose (or otherwise) and accuracy of the information given by any of these websites.

You should consider consulting your doctor / specialist on all matters relating to your current health, fertility and pregnancy.

Privacy Policy

We respect the importance of keeping your personal information confidential as prescribed in the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) which is in accordance to the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 (Privacy Amendment Act). In order to maintain reliable contact with you and to provide you a specialist care at/above the standard quality of care, it is important that we have access to your personal information like your contact details, date of birth, clinical history/record/data etc. This information can be provided by you, your relatives/friends or third parties like the pathology labs, imaging departments, hospitals, health providers, medical defence organisation and other relevant parties, but prior consent from you shall be obtained before we collect / use / keep / disclose / release your personal information. This information can be collected / amended / released in person, or by phone / fax / email / electronic network / mail; and is stored in our local electronic database with secure password and anti-virus software in place to prevent unauthorised access. Our staff can have access to your information as part of their work duties but all of them are subjected to our privacy policy as part of their employment agreement. We do not store your personal information on the internet-based Cloud database or store it overseas unless they come under the Australian jurisdiction or have equivalent law protecting your privacy. Any party requesting the release of your personal information would be required to fill out a Request for Information Form which must contain your signature of approval. We may, at our discretion, contact you to verify the authenticity of this request. A fee for processing this release of information may apply to cover the administrative cost. If required by law, we may have to comply and disclose your information accordingly. Whilst every effort is made to protect your information, we cannot guarantee breach of such protection caused by others with criminal intent. Such matter shall be referred to the police for appropriate action, and you may be notified as well. You are encouraged to notify us of any concern / complaint you may have in this regard, before contacting the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

Terms and Conditions

By accessing this website, you are agreeing to be bound by our website Terms and Conditions of Use, all applicable laws and regulations, and agree that you are responsible for compliance with any applicable local laws. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using or accessing this site. The materials contained in this website are protected by applicable copyright and trademark law.

2. License of Use

a. Permission is granted to temporarily download one copy of the materials (information or software) on Yap Specialist’s website for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license you are not allowed to:

i. modify or copy the materials;ii. use the materials for any commercial purpose, or for any public display (commercial or non-commercial);iii. attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on the Yap Specialist’s website;iv. remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials;v. transfer the materials to another person or “mirror” the materials on any other server; and/orvi. link / share this website with any party / website / program / organization / entity or make comment about the website / Yap Specialist which is deemed by Yap Specialist to contravene the values and ethics of Yap Specialist or bring Yap Specialist to disrepute.

b. This license shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions and may be terminated by Yap Specialist at any time. Upon terminating your viewing of these materials or upon the termination of this license, you must destroy any downloaded materials in your possession whether in electronic or printed format.

2. License of Use

a. Permission is granted to temporarily download one copy of the materials (information or software) on Yap Specialist’s website for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license you are not allowed to:

i. modify or copy the materials; ii. use the materials for any commercial purpose, or for any public display (commercial or non-commercial); iii.attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on the Yap Specialist’s website; iv. remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials; v. transfer the materials to another person or “mirror” the materials on any other server; and/or vi. link / share this website with any party / website / program / organization / entity or make comment about the website / Yap Specialist which is deemed by Yap Specialist to contravene the values and ethics of Yap Specialist or bring Yap Specialist to disrepute.

b. This license shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions and may be terminated by Yap Specialist at any time. Upon terminating your viewing of these materials or upon the termination of this license, you must destroy any downloaded materials in your possession whether in electronic or printed format.

3. Disclaimer

The materials on Yap Specialist’s website are provided “as is”. Yap Specialist makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims and negates all other warranties, including without limitation, implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of intellectual property or other violation of rights. Further, Yap Specialist does not warrant or make any representations concerning the accuracy, likely results, or reliability of the use of the materials on its Internet website or otherwise relating to such materials or on any sites linked to this site.

4. Limitations

In no event shall Yap Specialist or its developers / suppliers be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption,) arising out of the use or inability to use the materials on Yap Specialist’s Internet site, even if Yap Specialist or its authorized representative has been notified orally or in writing of the possibility of such damage. Because some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties, or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, these limitations may not apply to you.

5. Revisions and Errata

The materials appearing on Yap Specialist’s website could include technical, typographical, or photographic errors. Yap Specialist does not warrant that any of the materials on its website are accurate, complete, or current. Yap Specialist may make changes to the materials contained on its website at any time without notice. Yap Specialist does not, however, make any commitment to update the materials.

6. Links

Yap Specialist has not reviewed all of the sites linked to its Internet website and is not responsible for the contents of any such linked site. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Yap Specialist of the site. Use of any such linked website is at the user’s own discretion and own risk.

7. Sharing / dissipation of Information

Yap Specialist provides a shared feature which allows users to send out our website address to the users’ nominated recipients so as to share information of interest. Users are reminded to respect the privilege of using such feature and must not abuse this by making disparaging comment about Yap Specialist, its personnel or information provided. Failure to respect this term would result in immediate termination of the License of use.

8. Use of website’s emails

Yap Specialist has provided an email feature for the user’s convenience in using electronic correspondence. Yap Specialist cannot guarantee the reliability of such feature, and if no response is obtained from Yap Specialist, the user cannot assume successful receipt of the user’s email by Yap Specialist. User is advised to not provide any personal data like bank/credit card detail or health-related information via the website’s emailing system. This website’s emailing system is not intended to replace face-to-face consultation with Yap Specialist’s doctors.

9. Site Terms of Use Modifications

Yap Specialist may revise these terms of use for its website at any time without notice. By using this website, you are agreeing to be bound by the then current version of these Terms and Conditions of Use.

10. Governing Law

Any claim relating to Yap Specialist’s website shall be governed by the laws of the State of South Australia without regard to its conflict of law provisions.